Jonah 1:9–2:10

9 He answered them, “I’m a Hebrew.w I worshipB the Lord,x the God of the heavens,y who made the seaz and the dry land.”

10 Then the men were seized by a great fear and said to him, “What have you done?” The men knew he was fleeing from the Lord’s presenceaa because he had told them. 11 So they said to him, “What should we do to you so that the sea will calm down for us?” For the sea was getting worse and worse.

12 He answered them, “Pick me up and throw me into the sea so that it will calm down for you, for I know that I’m to blameab for this great storm that is against you.” 13 Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to get back to dry land, but they couldn’t because the sea was raging against them more and more.

14 So they called out to the Lord,ac “Please, Lord, don’t let us perish because of this man’s life, and don’t charge us with innocent blood! For you, Lord, have done just as you pleased.”ad 15 Then they picked up Jonah and threw him into the sea, and the sea stopped its raging.ae 16 The men were seized by great fear of the Lord,af and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows.ag

17 The Lord appointed a great fishah to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.ai

JONAH’S PRAYER

2 Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish:aj

2 I called to the Lord in my distress,ak

and he answered me.

I cried out for help from deep insideA Sheol;al

you heard my voice.am

3 When you threw me into the depths,an

into the heart of the seas,ao

the currentB overcame me.

All your breakers and your billows swept over me.ap

4 And I said, “I have been banishedaq

from your sight,ar

yet I will look once moreC

toward your holy temple.as

5 The water engulfed me up to the neck;D,at

the watery depths overcame me;

seaweed was wrapped around my head.au

6 I sank to the foundations of the mountains,av

the earth’s gates shut behind me forever!aw

Then you raised my lifeax from the Pit, Lord my God!ay

7 As my life was fading away,a

I remembered the Lord,b

and my prayer came to you,c

to your holy temple.d

8 Those who cherish worthless idolse

abandon their faithful love,f

9 but as for me, I will sacrificeg to you

with a voice of thanksgiving.h

I will fulfilli what I have vowed.

SalvationE belongs to the Lord.j

10 Then the Lord commanded the fish,k and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.